Hiding From The Tycoon

Part 1

Part 1

Present

The familiar smell of coffee diffused the residual sleep from my eyes. I smiled as I watched the pot brewing and waiting for the first customer to step through and order their usual.

I'd woken up to an unusual feeling bubbling in my chest and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't figure out the cause of this strange heaviness.

The sound of the doorbell pulled my attention from my cryptic thoughts and I smiled when I saw my best friend sauntering in. A glance at the clock told me she was right on time, as always.

"Good morning, Helena," I said, removing the coffee pot and pouring the freshly brewed coffee in a cup. I added a splash of milk along with a cube of sugar and handed it to her. "Here you go."

"I love you so much," she said as she took a sip and sighed in bliss, her hazel eyes sparkling with life. "You make the best coffee."

"I highly doubt that, but thank you," I said as the ding of the oven alerted me. I turned around and pulled out the tray of freshly baked cookies, setting them on the counter to cool.

"You know I'm right. There's a reason why Java Jargon is the most popular cafe in the entire city. Millionaires and billionaires come here to have coffee, so save your modesty for someone who doesn't know you, Saylor," she stated with a roll of her eyes as she took a healthy gulp of coffee.

"Whatever. Finish your coffee and put these cookies on display and start preparing the muffins. Customers will be arriving soon and today's target is ten thousand," I told her.

She gave me a salute and took another sip. "Got it, boss. And ten thousand is nothing. We'll make that much before noon."

"Don't be overconfident," I chided, grabbing a rag from the hanger and heading to the corner to clean the table tops.

"It's a fact and you know it," she stated as she went around the front counter to the kitchen at the back.

I sighed and wiped the table tops, fixing the chairs as I went. This cafe was my pride and joy and I wouldn't compromise its reputation for anything. This place was everything when I had nothing and I wanted it to be special for every person in this city.

Once everything was spotless, I headed back to the main counter to prepare another batch of coffee. I smiled as the ding of my cellphone alerted me to the text from the supplier, letting me know the batch of ingredients was on its way. However, the smile died down when I saw the date flashing on the screen.

July 16th.

I bit my lip as my mind did the math and gave me the answer. Ten years. It had been ten years since I last saw him.

His beautiful face materialized in my mind and I bit back a curse as I tried to eradicate the very thought of him from my memory, but it was no use. He refused to leave. My mind refused to let go of him.

Those dark eyes that shifted from gray to brown depending on his mood. The strong, aristocratic nose. The sharp cheekbones and the chiseled jaw. Those sensuous lips that never failed to make my body come alive under their ministrations.

"Stop it," I hissed, angrily. "Stop thinking about him. He's gone now. I'm better off without him."

But he wasn't gone and I knew I'd never forget about him. Nobody forgot their first love.

Just because I couldn't see him didn't mean he'd disappeared. It had been ten years since I last saw him. Ten years since the police took him away. But even the span of a decade wasn't enough to make me forget the look he gave me as he was dragged away. The look that promised his return.